A Daughter’s Plea and a Harsh Return

Shayue carried Su Xiaoxiao away.

The Ghost King glanced at the timid little Mermaid hiding behind Yunjie, then spoke.

“Since you’ve arrived, Yunjie, I’ll entrust this little Mermaid to you to be sent back to the South Sea.”

Having said this, the Ghost King turned and departed.

With Shayue and the Ghost King gone, the pursuing ghost and demon soldiers naturally withdrew as well.

****

“Mommy, I didn’t mean to. Please don’t be mad at me…” Xilin whispered, her gaze fixed on Yunjie’s retreating back.

Yunjie turned around, her heart aching as she saw the clear palm print still marring Xilin’s face. She had never once struck Xilin; from the moment the child was born, she had cherished her as her most precious treasure.

Despite her pain, Yunjie forced herself to hold back, speaking sternly, “You’ll have to explain yourself to your mother!”

Weili, having gathered the Heavenly Soldiers, had rushed over with Yunjie. Now, he descended, his face contorted with fury as he strode towards Xilin, clearly intending to strike her.

Xilin, pulling the little Mermaid along, hid behind Yunjie.

Since childhood, whenever Xilin caused trouble and Weili prepared to scold or punish her, she would invariably seek refuge behind Yunjie. And each time, Yunjie would extend her arm to shield her.

Indeed, whenever Weili saw her hiding behind Yunjie, even his greatest rage would dissipate by more than half.

True to form, it proved effective this time as well.

Seeing her cowering behind Yunjie, Weili merely roared, “You rebellious daughter! When will you ever learn to be sensible?! Do you have any idea that the Immortal-Demon War is about to start early today because of you?! And what’s this about a Mermaid?!”

Xilin poked her adorable little head out from behind Yunjie. “I bought her,” she said.

“You bought her?!” Yunjie turned back. “Stand here properly and explain clearly what happened. Why are you even in the Ghost Realm?”

“I… I came to look for something. I saw someone selling a Mermaid at a stall in the Ghost Market, and I felt sorry for her, so I bought her.”

“Bought? With what?” Weili demanded.

If it had only been Weili, Xilin might have argued and retorted. However, amongst all the Nine Provinces, the one she loved and feared most was her Mommy. Terrified of causing her sorrow or heartbreak, Xilin obediently spilled everything.

Having been the Heavenly Monarch for too long, Weili maintained a dignified facade in public. Yet, when it came to his own daughter, Xilin, his strictness was genuine, and his willingness to act was equally so.

Upon hearing that Xilin had actually used her protective token meant for returning to Upper Heaven as currency, he was practically fuming with rage at his rebellious daughter.

“Mommy! Mother Monarch is going to hit me!” She clutched at Yunjie’s robes, looking utterly pitiful.

Yunjie, her heart softening, shielded Xilin and said to Weili, “I’ve already punished her.”

Only then did Weili relent. Yunjie, however, did not forget to press Xilin, “What exactly did you come to the Ghost Realm for?”

From her chest, Xilin carefully pulled out the Jade Dew Clear Lotus Frost, wrapped in a handkerchief, and presented it to Yunjie. “I looked through medical texts,” she explained, “and heard that this spiritual medicine can remove scars. The older it is, the more potent its effects.”

“The Ghost King of the Ghost Realm is over a thousand years old, so I wanted to get this for you, Mommy. Your tail…”

Xilin mumbled softly, but Yunjie froze in place, her expression suddenly distraught.

Upon hearing this, Weili’s face also fell, and he looked anxiously at Yunjie.

The injury to Yunjie’s tail had always been a sensitive point for her. Weili had certainly searched for remedies; this very Jade Dew Clear Lotus had been used before. Not just the thousand-year-old variety from the Ghost King, but even those from several millennia past had been given to Yunjie, yet all had proven futile.

“Mommy?” Seeing Yunjie remain silent, Xilin thought she was still angry and called out softly.

Yunjie snapped back to reality, took the item from Xilin’s hands, and smiled at her. She then gently stroked her head, “Mommy thanks her little Xilin. Mommy is very happy, and I quite like it.”

She then cautioned, “But you don’t need to risk yourself for me anymore. My tail isn’t important; your safety is far more precious to me.”

Seeing her Mommy finally smile, Xilin breathed a sigh of relief and nodded earnestly.

“The Ghost Realm is no place to linger,” Weili stated. “The child has been found, so it’s time we returned. As for this little Mermaid, I will send someone to escort her back to the South Sea.”

Yunjie pondered for a moment, then turned to Weili and began, “No…”

Weili furrowed his brows in confusion. Yunjie softly continued, “I wish to personally escort her to the South Sea.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Weili refused. “Absolutely not!!!”

The sudden loudness startled Xilin. Her Mother Monarch, usually so stern, was always gentle and considerate towards her Mommy, speaking in soft tones, never like this.

“Come back with me,” Weili repeated.

Yunjie remained calm. “Weili, I haven’t returned to the South Sea in a very long time. Now that I’m out, and there’s an opportunity, I want to go back and see it. I miss home…”

“After all these years, I’m truly exhausted…”

****

When Su Xiaoxiao awoke, they were already en route, having left the Ghost Realm and heading back to the Demon Tribe.

Xiyue was not by her side, but numerous demon soldiers stood guard outside.

Su Xiaoxiao had no chance, nor the ability, to escape. She felt drowsy and disoriented.

It wasn’t until they returned to the Demon Realm that Xiyue finally appeared.

Xiyue seemed to have changed. Her eyes glowed with a deep crimson, a faint red mark flickered between her brows, and the killing intent emanating from her seemed even more profound than before.

“You…” Su Xiaoxiao tried to speak to her. Xiyue was never a patient person, but now she seemed to possess even less of it.

Before Su Xiaoxiao could finish a single sentence, Xiyue impatiently yanked her directly from the carriage.

While Su Xiaoxiao didn’t actually fall or hit anything, the sudden sensation of weightlessness terrified her deeply.

Xiyue gripped her wrist, her hold so fierce it felt as though Su Xiaoxiao’s bones might shatter.

“Gently, gently…” Su Xiaoxiao hissed, gasping for air. Xiyue, however, acted as if she hadn’t heard, pulling her by the hand further inside without once releasing her grip.

Su Xiaoxiao stumbled and tottered behind her. Were it not for Xiyue’s iron-like grip, Su Xiaoxiao felt certain she would have collapsed to the ground.

As Xiyue dragged Su Xiaoxiao back, Gu Yan was already waiting in Su Xiaoxiao’s small courtyard.

Even before Su Xiaoxiao and Xiyue returned, a demon soldier had reported, instructing Gu Yan to bring her medicine box and wait in Su Xiaoxiao’s courtyard.

Gu Yan, though bewildered, had dutifully arrived. She had barely enjoyed two peaceful days of quiet research before the two of them returned, bringing with them a fresh wave of commotion.

“What happened?!” Gu Yan exclaimed, frozen in place as she watched Xiyue practically drag Su Xiaoxiao into the courtyard.

Hadn’t Xiyue brought Su Xiaoxiao along to the Ghost Realm out of concern, specifically to keep her close?

Hadn’t they left on good terms, even choosing a more comfortable mode of transport to accommodate Su Xiaoxiao’s pregnancy?

How could they have been perfectly fine when they left, only to return in such a state?

Su Xiaoxiao’s belly, upon closer inspection, was visibly swollen. Seeing Xiyue’s rough handling, Gu Yan, as an outsider, felt her heart seize with worry and quickly spoke up to intervene.

“What’s wrong? You can’t pull her like that.”

Su Xiaoxiao heard her voice and, with a pale face, looked towards Gu Yan, seemingly pleading for help.

As for Gu Yan’s warning, Xiyue completely ignored it. Finally, after dragging Su Xiaoxiao into the room, she flung her hand away.

Xiyue’s action was far from gentle. Gu Yan watched in horror as Su Xiaoxiao’s lower back slammed against the table. The pain made Su Xiaoxiao’s vision swim, and her legs gave out, causing her to collapse onto the floor.

Gu Yan rushed forward to check on her, asking, “Xiaoxiao, are you alright?”

The red jade bracelet on Su Xiaoxiao’s wrist remained perfectly intact, its crimson glow unlit. Xiyue, having flung her away, hadn’t anticipated Su Xiaoxiao hitting anything. Since the bracelet was unharmed, she presumed Su Xiaoxiao was also fine.

Xiyue spoke coldly, “Stop pretending. Get up now.”

The absence of a red glow from the bracelet on her wrist indicated that Su Xiaoxiao’s life was not in danger. However, the pain she was currently enduring was undeniably real.